Roselle appoints Ocean County Republican as the new Fire Chief

The Roselle Borough Council appointed Stafford Township Republican Christopher Laba as the new head of the Fire Department, following the resignation of retiring Fire Chief Eric Pearson.

Laba, who has been serving as officer in charge for nearly a year, now assumes the role of the 17th chief of the Roselle Fire Department, despite residing in Ocean County, 80 miles away from the borough.

The appointment comes amidst broader allegations of a political purge orchestrated by Councilman Brandon Bernier under the direction of state Senator Joe Cryan.

This purported “palace coup” has led to the depletion of borough offices and the installment of politically connected, yet allegedly less qualified individuals in key positions.

Residents voiced their concerns during the council meeting, challenging elected officials on the hiring spree that has replaced many longtime municipal employees with outsiders.

However, the Borough Clerk threatened dissenting residents, stifling their objections.

Glenn Nolan, a taxpayer and resident who has worked for the Department of Public Works (DPW) for eight years, complained that many positions are being filled by people who are not residents of Roselle.

The borough clerk cut him off, arguing that municipal employees are not permitted to make disparaging remarks, so Naoko Best, who has been a resident for 24 years, joined Nolan to make the case that instead of hiring outsiders, many qualified people are living in the community.

“It’s unfair to our community that we got these outside people coming in an taking jobs that we could use,” said Best.

After another couple raised concerns about water damage in homes throughout their neighborhood, former Councilwoman Sylvia Turnage accused the governing body of firing everybody in the borough who knew about the flooding issue.

Among the recent outsider appointments is Tracy Wenskoski, a North Plainfield resident with no political party affiliation, who was named the Construction Code Official.

Similarly, Louis Ulrich, a Union Township resident, was designated as Superintendent of Public Works.

These appointments have raised questions about the preference for politically connected individuals over qualified local candidates.

Further adding to the controversy is the firing of Roselle human resources coordinator Kheesha Walls, allegedly to make room for Shatera Smith of Plainfield, who is reportedly a friend of the new Business Administrator.

Former Mayor Christine Dansereau weighed in on the situation, implicating state Senator Joe Cryan and his allies in a web of corruption and unfair practices.

Dansereau accused the current political establishment, except for Third Ward Councilwoman Cynthia Johnson, of orchestrating the purge of borough professionals to install their preferred candidates.

Samantha Carpio, the borough’s new director of Economic Development, replaced Victor Klymenko, who had received recognition for his work in the job Carpio’s appointment, like many others, has fueled concerns about the qualifications and motives behind the recent staffing changes.

The controversy surrounding Laba’s appointment and the broader allegations of political interference highlight the tensions within the Roselle Borough Council.

As residents continue to voice their dissent and former officials raise accusations of corruption, the future direction of the borough remains uncertain.